Data Mining

The process of discovering patterns and insights from large datasets.

Data mining combines statistics, machine learning, and database systems to extract useful information from raw data. It involves preprocessing data, applying algorithms to find patterns, and interpreting results to support decision-making.

Examples: Market basket analysis (Amazon recommendations), fraud detection, customer segmentation, web usage analysis, scientific research.

Challenges: Data quality issues, privacy concerns, interpretation of results, avoiding spurious correlations, and scalability to very large datasets.